Vindicated
by sonicstardust
Summary: Post rescue, Kate shows up at Sawyer's doorstep with some surprising news. Will she find hope and will he find redemption? Please R&R. Fluff and angst ahoy! Rated T for language, thematic elements, mention of drugs and alcohol.
1. Chapter 1

**Vindicated**

_Vindicated, I am selfish, I am wrong,_

_I am __right,__ I swear I'm right,_

_Swear I knew it all along,_

_I am flawed, but I am cleaning up so well,_

_I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself,_

_Like hope._

_-Dashboard Confessional_

---

Kate raps the wood of the door sharply with her knuckles, shivering as she does. She can feel goose-bumps rising on her skin as a draft of cold penetrates jacket and sweater. The air is still and frigid as she stands waiting in the hallway of the slightly shabby apartment building. It is dim and uninviting, smelling of mildew and cigarette smoke.

She doesn't know what she is expecting from this visit. She's come to her senses about a few things over the last few months, and this just seems like where she needs to be. Her only place left to run.

There is a rustle behind the door and the sound of someone grumbling. The deadbolt slides back with a begrudging metallic click, and the door opens, revealing a shaggy head and a body, bare to the waist.

Sawyer blinks and sweeps his blonde mop of hair out of his face, looking ready to unleash a string of strategic curses upon his late-night visitor. His anger falters, as he finds himself looking into a familiar face.

He opens and closes his mouth a few times, like a fish out of water, gulping in the air that it cannot breathe. "What the hell you doin' here Freckles?" he finally mutters, sounding glad to see her, even though his words are harsh.

Kate smiles. "Heard you were in the city. Thought I 'd come say hi."

"At two in the goddamn morning, you came to say 'hi'? I'll never understand you Freckles."

Sawyer shakes his head and backs up to let her in. He observes to himself that her clothes are weathered.

Her baggy jacket looks about three sizes too big for her thin frame, and the knees of her jeans are torn out. She still wears the same damn hiking boots that she wore on the island all those months ago. Still, she looks healthy. He notices that her cheeks seem fuller, pink with the chilly night air maybe, even though her expression is a bit grimmer. He knows how much a toll the island took on all of them, so he dismisses it. He _is_ glad to see her.

Kate tentatively puts her backpack on the floor by the door and enters the small apartment. She catches the faint scent of alcohol on Sawyer's breath as she brushes past him. As he locks the door, Kate glances around.

There are a few socks strewn about the bare wood floor of the living room. Sawyer hurriedly kicks them out of the walkway, giving a snarky, "Since I didn't know I was gonna have company I didn't get 'round to tidying up."

They stand awkwardly for a moment, he in his flannel pajama pants and she in her beat up street clothes. Sawyer runs a hand through his hair. He moves into the small open kitchen to the right of them. Opening his beat up old refrigerator, he asks, "You want a drink? I got water, orange juice, beer…?"

Kate nods, "Water's fine." she says quickly.

He motions vaguely behind her. "You can hang up your coat, Freckles. I ain't gonna kick you out or anything."

She cracks a smile, though she seems nervous. "Thanks James." Kate hooks her coat by the door and pauses for a moment before taking a seat on the couch.

Sawyer returns from the kitchen with a glass of water for her and a beer for himself. He settles himself in a chair across from her, looking her up and down. "So what happened, Kate?" he asks, knowing he won't get a straight answer.

Sipping her water and setting it down on the coffee table, she gives him an innocent look. "You know I was staying with Jack for a while, right?"

He stiffens visibly at this, but he nods. "That went south then, eh?" he says gruffly.

Now it's Kate who seems uncomfortable. "Yeah, you could say that. You could also say that I came to my senses."

"What d'you mean?"

"Nothing…I just…I didn't think it was the best situation."

The look he gives her says he just wants the truth, no playing around. "And?"

Kate bites her lip and decides to tell him — better yet, show him. "Okay Sawyer, you wanna know?"

He gives a curt nod. "That'd be nice."

Unexpectedly, she stands up and pulls her baggy sweater tighter around her middle. There it is, the tell-tale bump.

"Guess I don't need to explain."

Sawyer's lips part slightly in silent surprise. He seems to be trying very hard to wrap his mind around the situation. Anger and fear are at the edges of his thoughts. He gulps. "Well Freckles, you're lookin' a lot more pregnant than the last time I saw ya." Usually a remark like this would have warranted a cocky attitude to set it off, but his words come out faint and somber.

She gives him a wry look. "I'm only in my second trimester." They're silent for a few moments.

Kate shrugs and stands awkwardly while he gapes. "There." she says. "Now you know.

"I couldn't stay with Jack. Jack's been having problems…coping with being back. He's been drinking, and I think he's probably into some prescription meds. It's like this big nightmare scenario that you think will never happen to anyone you know." she explains quietly.

He shakes his head. "Damn it, Kate."

"I guess this would be the part where you kick me out then, huh?" She's braced herself for this already. She almost expected worse. Kate's eyes are welling up as she stands, even though she looks like she's just confirmed something. "Damn hormones." She mutters, sniffing. "Thanks for listening, James."

As she's halfway to the door, he gets up and groans, "Wait."

Kate turns back to him and he can't bear how scared, and lost, and angry she looks.

He is a mirror of what he sees in her at this moment. Terrified and confused.

"I ain't kickin' you out."

She bites her lip. "What then?"

James shrugs; he's as lost as she is. He doesn't know how to deal with what he's feeling, or the situation, but he knows he doesn't want her to go. Of that, he is sure.

Watching her leave again would be more painful than anything. What if the baby is his? A little jolt of fear grips him at this thought. He already has one kid who will never know him. If he drives Kate away now, it will happen all over again. He can't do it, he can't do it because he loves her. He can't push her away now that he has her back.

If the kid is Jack's…he shoves that thought to the back of his mind. Maybe he wouldn't care. Maybe he knows he shouldn't care, because he knows Kate is at _his_ apartment now, asking him for help. Maybe he'll never know, and he won't even want to ask.

"Sawyer," Kate pulls him out of his thoughts by calling his nickname, the nickname that she knew him by back on the island. She hangs her head. "I'm so damn scared."

That does it. He shakes his head slightly, knowing he's gotten into something that has no easy way out. He was already a part of it, from the moment she knocked on his door…maybe even before that. He doesn't even care about himself right now, he cares about someone else. It's been a long time since he had the chance for that.

She all but runs to him, and buries her face in his bare shoulder with a little sob. His arms wrap around her, holding her as close as he can. Her tears fall on his skin as she presses in on him. He can feel it now, her pregnant belly against him. Maybe he's imagining it, but for a second he thinks he can feel light kicking.

Kate looks up at him, giving a slight chuckle and beaming through her tears. She knows he felt it.

"Well I'll be damned."

---

_A/N: If I get encouragement to continue this I will, I just haven't done so yet because I know how insanely flufftastic it will be. To answer some questions: Yes, I do insert babies into almost all my stories. They're a good storyline...and I love babies because they're the cutest darn things ever, lmao. Also, I am ripping off my own story "Post Lost" because I am utterly not happy with it and probably not continuing unless someone gives me a big frikkin' amazing idea. _


	2. Chapter 2

Without thinking twice, his lips are on hers and one arm is around her waist, the other around finds its way up her back as he winds his fingers gently into her tangled curls.

Kate sniffles and kisses him back, salty tears and saliva mixing between their locked lips. She gives a soft hiccupping sob and pulls away slowly. She rests her face against his stubbly cheek for a moment before hugging him tightly once again. After this brief embrace she sinks back onto the couch, wiping her eyes.

Sawyer shifts from foot to foot for a moment, then takes a seat next to her. "You're a damn mess, Freckles." he mutters, ruffling her hair slightly.

She leans over and puts her face in her hands. "I know," she groans.

James timidly rubs her back for a second, feeling as if he could wake up from this utterly strange dream at any minute.

After a few deep breaths, Kate sits up and gives a watery smile and chuckle. "Ya know, I never really felt it kick that much before. It must like you."

He manages a slight grunt of recognition and a nod. Obviously she doesn't know the baby's sex yet. Has she even been to see a doctor? He knows she can be stupidly stubborn sometimes, but –

"I didn't tell Jack you know." She gives him a direct look, her green eyes still rimmed with red.

"Why didn't cha? he asks warily.

Kate shakes her head and he knows he shouldn't push it. "He's messed up enough already." she murmurs vaguely.

They sit in tense silence again, both pondering what the future holds for them.

Kate heaves another sigh, trying to regain complete composure. "Can I use your shower?" she asks after a moment.

James nods, "It's down the hall. Towels are in the laundry basket."

She gets up, giving him a sweet half-smile. "Thanks." She says, letting her hand trail along his should before leaving him to his thoughts.

He reclines on the couch with anxiety lining his face. He can hear the water running now. He could stand to shower off too at this point, he realizes, chancing a sniff at his underarm and wrinkling his nose.

Reality stabs him in the stomach like a pang of hunger. What the hell is he thinking? What the hell is she thinking? How in the world are they going to pull this off? It's never going to –

_THUMP._

Sawyer jumps up from his spot on the couch, startled by the loud noise from the bathroom. It's silent now. Did she fall? Is she alright? He almost sprints to the bathroom door at this thought and knocks urgently.

"Y'okay in there?" he says it loudly, but he doesn't shout, trying to remain calm. Surely she'd be able to hear him over the water, but there's no reply.

Taking this as a bad sign, he goes in, heart pounding.

Kate peeks around the semi-clear plastic shower curtain, raising a quizzical brow. "Need something?"

He awkwardly puts his hands on his hips and shrugs, trying not to stare at her blurred nude outline through the curtain. Damn, even if she is pregnant…

He shakes his head to keep his mind on the situation. "I heard a thump." he explains lamely, vaguely motioning toward her.

"I dropped the shampoo." she replies with a nod.

"Oh." He runs a hand through his hair. "Sorry."

Kate gives a wry little laugh. "It's okay James. Anything else?"

He shakes his head, "Nah." He exits the bathroom, feeling stupid, but relieved that he wasn't dealing with an emergency situation. As he walks away he can hear her humming a little bit. This makes him feel better, though he doesn't know why. Maybe it's because it's a sign that she's happy. If she's happy, maybe he can find a way to be happy too.

---

_A/N: Shorter chapter this time, but cut-off points are very important to me to have a certain impact. Soo, yeah, the purpose of this chapter is Sawyer's reassurance that maybe this could all work. I hope you liked it. More is coming soon _


	3. Chapter 3

Life goes on in its strange ways. The two become accustomed to their routine living together. They sleep together in his bed, sometimes far apart, sometimes hugging each other close in the darkness. In the morning they pretend they weren't clinging to each other for comfort, but at night they're the only company each other has to protect them from their fears of the future.

They argue good-naturedly over cereal and watch the morning news. He goes to work, comes home and complains about his job, selling things door-to-door, while she murmurs her sympathizes. They could be considered a couple, though neither would verbally confirm this. It's enough for them both, just to be together.

She wears his blue t-shirt. It's full of holes and he never wears it, but he must have some attachment to it. After all, he hasn't thrown it away.

Kate inhales; it has that sand, sun, sweat, and sun block smell still clinging to it. She supposes he feels the same way about that shirt as she does toward her old hiking boots, which now lie in the corner.

Their separate lives dissipate, jumbling together, much like their once-separate laundry. It's all one big pile now, shoved in the basket, waiting for them to finally give in and take it down to the laundry room. So she wears his shirt, and she feels at home. She didn't buy maternity clothes; she just bought bigger shirts and some sweatpants. When none of her clothes are clean, she welcomes the chance to wear his blue shirt.

As Sawyer eats breakfast one morning, while Kate flips through TV channels, he finally voices a question he's had for a while now. "Hey," he says casually, swallowing a mouthful of corn flakes, "you been to the doctor yet?"

He doesn't make a habit of talking about her pregnancy, mostly because she usually ends up finding something to cry about. He hates seeing her cry, especially if he suspects she's crying over Jack. He feels like he needs to get her to do this though.

Kate drops the remote on the couch and saunters over to the counter where he's eating. She gives him a good hard look. "No, I haven't. But I guess you're gonna make me, right?"

Sawyer shrugs. "I ain't gonna make you, I just thought it'd be a good idea…ya know?" To back up his plan, he reasons, "Look, there's a free clinic 'bout twenty minutes away. Maybe we should just take you over there so they can check you out."

Kate shakes her head. "I've told you before James, I'm not going to go to prison because some doctor recognizes me and decides to have me carted off."

"But cha ain't gonna get recognized. I thought of that already."

She almost looks like she's going to argue, but then she changes her mind. "You got a plan?"

He gives a mischievous smile. "Yeah."

* * *

He raps on the door with his knuckles. "Does it fit?" 

She flings the door open and throws up her hands in dismay. "I look like a goddamn prostitute, James."

He looks her up and down. Her blue mini-dress is pretty much skin tight, accenting her belly, and it squeezes her enlarged pregnancy boobs almost out the top of the ultra-low collar. She's done her makeup like he asked: heavy and flashy. He has to admit that he likes this plan, and he thanks the high heavens that the thrift store had the perfect dress.

James gives a naughty little chuckle as he helps her with the back zipper. "That's the point, Prego."

Kate punches him in the shoulder. "Don't call me that." She purses her painted lips, fiddling with one of her oversized hoop earrings. "You're sure this is gonna work?"

He nods. "Sure it will. People at a free clinic ain't gonna pay attention to a pregnant hooker. They probably get 'em all the time."

She looks doubtful, but sighs, "Fine, let's go."

"Ah-ah-ah." Sawyer objects. "Put your hair up all fancy, Freckles. Gotta look authentic now."

"You are enjoying this way too much." She rolls her eyes and retreats back to the bathroom with a few more mutters of indignation, but once she's done she has to admit he's right in thinking that it's an essential last touch.

* * *

He parks the car and Kate turns to him, looking apprehensive. "You're coming in with me, right?" 

James shrugs. "Hooker with a boyfriend?" he says sarcastically, looking bemused.

"Fine, then don't come." Kate huffily pulls her jean jacket tighter around herself and gets out of the car.

Perplexed, he gets out of his door and follows, despite her sharp remark. The frigid wind whips his hair around, though the sun seems warmer than it has the past few days.

"What are you doing?" she stops, about to open the door and enter the waiting room.

"Takin' a leaf outta your book, Freckles. I'm comin' anyway." He replies, catching up with her.

She gives a half-hearted smile. "Thanks."

He nods in acknowledgement. "Okay, now, use your little deceptive fugitive skills and act like a hooker."

* * *

As soon as they've filled out their paperwork (somewhat fraudulently), Kate and James find themselves assigned to a cramped little exam room. 

The nurse instructs Kate to put on the provided cotton medical gown, then leaves her to it with the assurance that the doctor will be with them shortly.

Kate retreats behind the changing curtain and dons the flimsy garment while Sawyer waits on the hard plastic chair. She comes out and hands him her clothes, then somewhat uncomfortably settles herself on the exam table.

"I hate the crinkly paper stuff." she mutters, shifting her butt back and forth.

A pleasant looking young Asian man comes in, holding a chart. He introduces himself as Doctor Kwon. He shakes hands and explains that he's going to do a routine check-up to make sure everything is in order. Kate and Sawyer share a curious glance at each other upon hearing the familiar name, but they don't mention it.

"Do you know the exact date of conception?" Kwon asks, poising his pen over his chart.

Sawyer glances at Kate, who shakes her head. "No, it was about six months ago."

Sawyer tries to do the math in his head, but who knows. She could have slept with Jack right after they were rescued, and that would still make it six months. He wonders why he doesn't just ask her…then he remembers it's because he might not like the answer.

The doctor continues his questions, takes some blood, prescribes some prenatal vitamins, and then advises them to schedule an appointment for an ultrasound.

He leaves, but returns shortly. "You're in luck; a patient just called to cancel their ultrasound. We have an open appointment right now."

The doctor leads them to another room, containing lots of machines and medical equipment. He tells Kate to recline on the table, and leaves her in the care of the ultrasound technician.

The technician is an overweight, forty-something woman with a nametag that reads "Janice".

Janice looks as if she'd rather be on lunch break rather than bringing joy to new parents by showing them their unborn child. She unceremoniously lifts Kate's gown and squirts a substantial amount of clear gel onto her lower belly.

Kate winces and James seems alarmed. "Y'okay?" he whispers, scooting his chair closer.

She grins. "Yeah, it's just cold." She grimaces as the technician slides the sensor over her abdomen.

He nods, and smiles as she grabs his hand. They both watch as the black and white fuzzy image on the screen shifts until Janice gives Kate and Sawyer a pointed look.

"That's it." She tells them bluntly. "There's the head, there's the feet." She points to different parts of the monitor.

Kate's mouth hangs open slightly, then she bursts into tears. "Oh my God." She manages to choke, grinning and still crying, "I never thought...I didn't even…ohh, it's so…" she sniffles and quiets, watching the screen. Her excessive eyeliner is running and she's squeezing Sawyer's hand harder than before.

James leans in and kisses her on the head. He can't even begin to say how he feels; it would probably come out somewhat like Kate's incoherent whimperings of joy. He doesn't care anymore if the baby is his. He's seen the kid, the reality has hit him in a way he never imagined and now he knows he has to take care of it. It's a part of Kate, and therefore he loves it.

"You wanna know what it is?" asks Janice, obviously jaded to such displays of emotion.

"It's a baby ain't it?" Sawyer says faintly, finding it possible to joke even though he's completely in awe.

The woman rolls her eyes, but Kate pipes up, "Yeah, I wanna know."

Janice hits a button, and turns to them with the first half smile they've seen since they entered the room. She reaches around the side of the machine and pulls out a paper. "Here," she informs them, "is a picture of your baby girl."

---

_A/N: Okay, I know that was like SUPER fluff, hahah. I spent most of today writing it because I was feeling so fluffy and sentimental and Skate-y, so I hope you enjoy it. I might not get to update again til this weekend, so be glad you had a nice long chapter to entertain you ;)_


	4. Chapter 4

When he comes home to find her sleeping on the couch like that, he wonders how he ever wanted anything else. She looks so damn cute, all curled up and peaceful.

He's about to wake her, but he's reluctant because she rarely sleeps at night anymore. The baby gets hiccups a lot and keeps her awake. He knows that better than anyone because he doesn't get much sleep with her tossing and turning.

Finally he decides that it's better to wake her now and let her sleep a little bit tonight. Sawyer sits down on the edge of the couch and puts his bags on the floor. He carefully smoothes a lock of hair away from her face and kisses her on the nose.

"Rise and shine Mamacita." he says playfully. "Got you and Sea Monkey some presents."

Kate makes a little moaning noise and opens her eyes; she realizes she must have dozed off watching TV again.

"I'm hopin' it's pancakes. I had a dream about pancakes." she says wistfully, still blinking the sleep away as she sits up. She takes his face in her hands presses her lips against his, releasing him with a grin.

Sawyer chuckles and shakes his head, offering her a plastic shopping bag. "Sorry Freckles, didn't spot an IHOP on my way back, but I did getcha somethin' else."

She takes it, watching him with a questioning smile.

He looks proud of himself, but he only nods toward the bag. "Just open it."

Kate digs her hand down into it and pulls out a pregnancy book. She flips it over and glances at the summary on the back before grinning at James. "Thanks."

He shrugs modestly. "So you can know what's going on with the baby…and stuff. There's one other thing in there." he continues, eager to see her reaction.

She's already pulling it out with a soft, "Ohh…" She holds the blanket on her lap, smiling and running her fingers over the fluffy fabric. "Polar bears." she laughs, pointing to the small white print of dancing bears on the light blue background.

"Thought ya'd like it." Sawyer says quietly.

"You got the baby a blue blanket?" she asks, sounding amused.

He shakes his head and sits back. "Figured you wouldn't want your little girl confined to pink from her first day."

Unexpectedly she leans over hugs him with tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much James."

He welcomes her embrace, resting a hand on her back. "Don't worry about it Freckles."

* * *

It's been three months. It's getting close now. Next month everything will change. James is scared shitless and he can't imagine how Kate is coping. 

She doesn't talk about it, When they do talk they argue, so it's been tense lately, both of them trying not to set the other off. So he doesn't ask. Sometimes he wants to though. He doesn't feel ready at all. Sure he's been trying to be supportive and confident, but hell, he's clueless.

Another ordinary day; Sawyer steers the car mechanically back to the apartment after a day of having multiple doors slammed in his face. Damnit, doesn't anyone want free estimates on roofing? He's starting to regret having a legitimate job and leaving his conning days behind.

Suddenly something on the side of the road catches his eye. He doesn't consider himself one for yard sales, but he's curious. He pulls over and gets out, inspecting the thing. It's in better shape than most of the other junk set out in the yard of the little house, that's for sure.

A tired looking woman comes over and looks him up and down. She's youngish with a cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth and a toddler balanced on her hip. "You wanna buy that?" she asks eagerly. "It's clean I swear, my kid barely used it."

He takes another look then makes his decision. "How much?"

* * *

"Damn it." Sawyer hisses, trying to pull his large parcel through the doorway without making a racket. Kate's probably sleeping. He glances toward the couch to make sure. Yes, she is. She tends to fall asleep in the late afternoon while watching soaps or court shows. 

Finally he gets the box to the bedroom and shoves it under the bed, deciding to work on it later. Feeling somewhat accomplished, he saunters off to the kitchen to throw a frozen pizza in the oven. He's about two steps away when the phone rings. It seems rude and interruptive in the silence.

Sawyer snatches the receiver off the hook on the second ring. He doesn't want Kate to wake up yet. That morning before he left for work they'd argued over something stupid. He doesn't want to replay that whole scenario and so he's avoiding any unnecessary noise.

"Hello?" he says into the mouthpiece, keeping his voice low.

"Sawyer, it's Jack."

He freezes, everything seems to have gone cold. Jack knows, why else would he have called here? Maybe he just wants to talk…

Somehow James manages to feign a reply with an air of jovial surprise. "Hey there Doc, what can I do ya for?" he gulps, seeing how this settles.

Jack sighs heavily on the other end. "It's Kate. She, well…have you heard from her?" There's a tense pause.

"What, Freckles ain't with you?" he infuses his fake surprised tone with a little concern.

"No," Jack replies tiredly, "no, she ran off. It was two—maybe two and a half months ago now. I figured she'd come back…but now…"

_It's been three months Jackass. __You don't even know how long she's been gone. __You don't deserve to know where she is. __What makes __ya__ think she'd even __talk__ to you after __th__e bull shit you put her through?_ He wants to say it, but he controls himself, keeps his cool and gives a gruff, "Sorry."

Jack sniffs. He's probably been crying, and drinking too. "If you see her," he says sounding on the verge of a breakdown, "tell her I'm sorry…God, I'm so sorry."

It's too much. He can't talk to him anymore. "Will do, take care Jack." James mutters briefly, then hangs up. He has a bad feeling like a bitter taste in his mouth. He leans back against the kitchen counter and runs his hand back through his hair like he always does when he's stressed.

"Who was on the phone?"

Sawyer turns to see Kate stifling a yawn. "Telemarketer," he fibs, giving an irritated shrug, "wastin' my damn time." He gets a twinge of guilt for lying to her, but hell, it's for her own good.

Kate nods, seeming to accept this immediately. She's got something else on her mind. "Sorry I yelled when you called me 'Good Year' earlier." She leans against the island counter, opposite him. "I know you didn't mean anything by it. Even if I do look like a big pregnant blimp." She gives a timid smile, biting her bottom lip.

"Well I'm sorry I called ya Good Year." he chuckles.

Kate grins like she knows a dirty secret. "I thought sorry didn't suit you."

Sawyer chuckles. He grabs her hand and pulls her gently up against himself. "Suits you, don't it?"

* * *

_A/N: Woooo I finally got some more up! Been working on it since Sunday, lol. Soo yeah, sorry if you like Jack, because I'm basically making Jack-to-the-Future a douchebag, because dude, he is. Love ya's! Pleease review ::makes puppy dog eyes::_


	5. Chapter 5

During the next few weeks, Kate picks through baby name books, finding nothing she likes in particular, while Sawyer revels in teasing her with the really obscure ones.

To herself, she decides that maybe once she meets her baby she'll be able to pick a name, one that fits. Well, at least a name that fits better than "Sea Monkey".

* * *

Kate yawns and stretches. It's late afternoon and the leftover tuna salad in the fridge is calling her name, and it's begging to be put on a sandwich slathered in barbeque sauce. She picks herself up off the couch, arching her stiff back, and shuffles in stocking feet across to the open kitchen.

A knock on the front door startles her slightly as she passes it, but she assumes that it's James, back from the store. He probably forgot his key or something. Just to be safe, she brings her eye to the peep hole, then steps away when she sees her visitor and realization hits her like a powerful ocean wave.

Jack, unshaven and looking dazed, stands in the hallway. _Oh god, he knows. _That's the only reason she can think of for him to be here. Kate feels the baby shift uncomfortably, rolling around and making her feel slightly sick. That tuna salad doesn't sound so appetizing anymore.

Her heart beats wildly. She puts her back to the door and wracks her brain for options. _I could just let him stand there. He won't know anyone's home. He'll just leave. _She wants to do it, to ignore the fact that she has to face him now, but she immediately feels sorry for thinking that way. Slowly, her hand finds the cool metal of the doorknob. She grips it for a moment, telling herself to just do it before she loses her nerve. Kate opens the door.

Jack looks at her like he's just had the air knocked out of him, empty lungs choking on emptiness. His mouth tries to form words as he looks her up and down, his eyes pausing on her well-rounded midriff.

Kate gulps. "Hey." She doesn't even force a smile; she just keeps a calm attitude and braces herself for his reaction.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and shakes his head. "He lied to me. He told me he didn't know where you were…" Jack falters for a moment. "Did you tell him to say that?"

Now it's her turn to be taken aback. "Sawyer? No, no I didn't even know you talked to him, I swear." They're tensely silent for a moment.

Jack nods finally, still seeming uneasy. "Fair enough. And then there's..." He looks pointedly at her extremely pregnant belly. "Can we talk?"

Kate purses her lips a moment before consenting. "Okay. Come in." she backs up and allows him to pass before closing the door.

He stands awkwardly in the middle of the walkway between the living room and kitchen areas.

She motions to the couch. "You can sit down." She offers.

They sit, he on the couch and she on the chair that faces it. Kate is reminded strangely of the night she first came to see James, looking for his help. The awkward silences, the worried glances, the questions that needed answering.

She speaks first. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything before I left. I don't expect you to forgive me, I just want you to know. I couldn't stay."

Jack nods, taking this in. "I'm sorry you felt like you had to leave." He sniffs. "Why did you leave, Kate?" He's asking in earnest, seeming oblivious to any wrongs he might have committed. 

"Why? You seriously wanna know why?" her anger begins to flare up as he watches her intently, his bloodshot eyes tired and sad.

"Jack, when we left the island you became a different person. You can't even stay sober for a whole day. You don't take care of yourself Jack! You stumbled home in the middle of the night, overdosed on prescription drugs, and there I was, alone and scared as hell, driving you to the emergency room and hoping to God that the cops didn't pull me over! And you sit there and ask me 'why'?

"How the hell _could _I stay? I was six months pregnant by the time I realized it, but Jack...you're a mess. You need to pull yourself together." She takes a breath, tears streaming from her eyes now. "And you need to realize that I'll never replace her."

He's been listening with her head down, eyes on the ground, but at the last statement he straightens, his expression stunned. "Kate…I…we…we can fix this. Just come back with me. You, and the baby...we'll figure it out." He's crying too now. He gets up and crosses to where she sits as he speaks. He bends to her level and puts his hands on her arms, attempting to comfort both her and himself.

Kate recoils from his touch and stands up, moving away. "The baby's not yours Jack. I'm not yours. Jack, you don't need to fix this. You need to fix yourself." Through her tears she states this firmly. Suddenly she puts a hand to the side of her stomach, looking unsteady and wide-eyed.

"Kate!" Jack is at her side immediately, looking worried.

Her mind reels and the first thing she thinks is that there's something wrong with the baby, but in a few moments the mild pain dissipates. She takes a few breaths. "I'm fine. Just go…just go Jack."

He shakes his head. "No, I'm not going anywhere. If you have more contractions we have to time them and see how far apart they are." He tries to guide her to the couch, but she shakes him off.

"Jack, we're done. You can see yourself out." She turns away and goes into the bedroom, closing the door behind herself.

Immediately he's at the closed door, talking through it. "Kate, calm down. This is serious, you could be in labor."

"And that's supposed to calm me down?" she shouts back. "Get the hell out of here Jack!"

"No," he replies sitting down outside the door, "no, I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

_A/N: Miss me? Yeahh you know you did, hahah. Anyways, I figured I'd get things going and throw a little more angst in to spice things up. Let me know what you think! xxx -Kait_


	6. Chapter 6

He immediately knows something is wrong when he steps out of the stairwell, into second floor hallway. The apartment he now shares with Kate is four doors away from where he stands. Are those muffled, upset voices on the TV? No – one of them is Kate, and she's crying. James drops his grocery bag and rushes to the door, which he finds unlocked. In his head he can already see it, the cops putting her in cuffs while she cries –

He charges in, but there are no cops. He glances to his left and right; the living room and kitchen are vacant. James rounds the corner into the hallway, and there on the floor, sitting with his back against the bedroom door, is Jack Shephard.

Without any hesitation James pulls him up by the collar. "What the hell did you do?" he bellows, teeth gritted. He pushes the stunned Jack against the wall, daring him to fight back with his eyes.

Jack doesn't move. He looks almost impatient as Sawyer's gaze bores into him.

"She's in labor." Jack says, looking him square in the eye. "She won't come out of the bedroom though."

James releases his grip instantly and calls through the door. "You okay Freckles?"

She doesn't answer immediately, but he can hear a little groan of pain, then a muffled, "I'm okay James."

He jiggles the doorknob. "Can ya open the door?" There's a pause.

"Yeah."

James looks at Jack, who is still leaning on the wall against which he was shoved. Jack nods his approval.

The bedroom door opens, revealing a shaky, teary Kate. She embraces Sawyer with relief. "I can't do this, I'm not ready," she moans, "I'm not…" she breaks off, heaving a small sob. She knows it will happen whether she likes it or not, but that doesn't make it seem any easier.

He smoothes her hair, "It's gonna be okay baby." He feels suddenly calm, in control of the crisis situation. She's depending on him, so he knows he has to stay cool headed.

"We need to get her to the hospital." Jack puts in, "it's possible she's already in the second stage of labor."

Kate immediately picks her head up from Sawyer's chest, looking alarmed. "No. No, no, no. I can't go to the hospital, they'll know who I am – they'll –" she stops babbling and her eyes widen. She looks down, and sure enough, there's a trail of wetness down the inner legs of her jeans. Her look of terror increases. "Oh shit."

"Your water just broke," Jack states. He seems to switch gears, like he's just changed into his alternate professional medical persona.

"I _know_ my water just broke!" she shouts, still clinging to Sawyer for support. She grimaces and almost doubles over, grabbing James's arm as she feels another contraction starting.

"We have to go now Kate, this baby is coming." Jack persists.

Sawyer looks at her helplessly as she cries out. "Freckles –"

"I'm not going," Kate pants, eyes streaming. She straightens, still leaning weakly on James, "because if they find out who I am, there is no way in hell they'd let me out of there without callin' the cops." She looks into James's face with anguish. "They'd take the baby from me, and I'm not letting them do that." Seeming to find a little strength in this statement, she turns to Jack. "On the island you told me how to deliver Claire's baby, and I did it, but I can't do this myself. You have to do it, Jack."

Sawyer looks back and forth between the two of them as they hold a steady gaze for a silent moment. Finally Jack breaks eye contact. He takes a deep breath and lets it out.

"Okay. Okay, I'll do it."

* * *

_A/N: Okay, short chappie this time, but I've got the next bit in my fanfic notebook, so hopefully I'll get that all typed up and spiffy for ya. And don't worry, Jack will get some closure, and you'll find out WHY exactly he was all drunk and acting crazy and such. So yeah, I've been like looking up pregnancy and delivery information to make this as realistic as possible, but dudes, I've never had a baby personally so don't sue me if it ain't perfect. And LOL, I'm just wondering what my mom would think if she ever read the history of what I look up on the internet...wow, she would be mucho confused. Hahah, anyways, enough of my rambling because you're probably like "JUST GO WRITE DAMMIT!" so perhaps I shall ;)_


	7. Chapter 7

Blood, sweat, tears, screams. It all mixes and mingles within what seems like endless hours of delivery. Somehow, amidst the chaos, Jack is at the top of his game, in his element, completely and thoroughly a doctor once again.

"Ow, ow – shit—OW!" Kate grimaces. She's half sitting up, but in bed now on Jack's orders. He says he's sure the baby will come soon, and as for Kate, well, she hopes he's right. She doesn't think she can take much more. The sweat beads on her forehead, and her breath comes heavily. "When this is done...I'm swearing off sex." she says through gritted teeth, giving James a pointed look.

He nods acceptingly, obviously not taking her seriously. "Okay Freckles, but you'll change your mind—

"Oww!" Sawyer is the one yelling this time as Kate digs her nails into his hand, using him as an outlet for her next bout of contraction pain. "Dammit girl." He mutters, wincing outright, but he lets her continue to squeeze and doesn't pull away. It makes him edgy to see her hurting, but doesn't think there's much he can really do about it, so for the moment he just holds her hand.

"Sorry," Kate breathes, though she doesn't sound it.

Jack is rushing around doing...Well, James doesn't know quite what he's doing, rushing around like that. Doctor things, he guesses. Probably making sure he has all the supplies he needs. He instructs Kate on her breathing and asks Sawyer to bring some clean, preferably sanitized towels, and various other household items. Eager to help, James obliges, flexing his abused hand as he hurries to assist.

Jack watches him go. He sees the backward glance James gives, making sure Kate is alright without him. So much said in a single glance; there's no doubt in Jack's mind of how much Sawyer loves her, and that he cares about her more than anything. No matter how self-serving, vindictive, and cocky he's been in the past, he'll put her first. Jack can see it in that moment, in that look.

James returns after a few moments, laden with the things from Jack's list and looking flustered. He rushes back to the bedside as Kate cries out again, and soon Jack announces that she's going to need to start pushing.

She looks terrified, and Sawyer offers her his hand again. She nods bravely. She takes his hand, takes a breath, and starts pushing.

"I can't – I can't do it!" she breaks down and sobs after attempting a few pushes.

"Yes you can – Kate, look at me." Jack gets up from where he was kneeling at the end of the bed and comes to her side, he encourages her to focus by looking her right in the eye. "You can do this."

James nods his agreement and smoothes her sweat-soaked hair away from her face. He gives her hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance, though he looks like he could use a little himself. "Come on Freckles." he intones.

Taking a few teary, gasping breaths, she does start pushing again, squeezing James's hand until it's white from the lack of circulation.

"Good, good!" Jack exclaims, nodding at her from the foot of the bed. "Keep going, I can see the head!"

The next few moments are a blur of sobs, yelps of pain, and finally, a new sound. The foreign squawk of the newborn baby pierces the air. It isn't really a cry, more of an announcement of the new arrival.

Kate all but collapses back on the propped up pillows behind her, her chest heaving as she shuts her streaming eyes. Sawyer moves onto the edge of the bed and cradles her head in his shoulder. She leans back against him and he murmurs soothing words in her ear.

"It's a girl," Jack says, sounding out of breath as he holds the tiny, sticky child in the crook of his arm. He snips the umbilical cord while Sawyer cranes his neck to see. Once Jack has finished up and wrapped her in a warm towel, he lowers the baby into Kate's arms with a weary wish of congratulations.

Rapt and openmouthed, Kate watches the squirming, mewling bundle. She sniffles a little, makes a sound like the beginning of a laugh, and then cries a little more, this time out of happiness. "She's perfect." Kate murmurs, admiring the round little face. She knows that probably every parent in the history of the world has thought this about their own child, but _her_ baby is the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.

James can feel a grin turning up the corners of his mouth. He can't help it; the kid looks downright frustrated, wiggling and kicking her feet, almost as if she's already prepared to take off running. _Just like her mama._

Jack sits back in a chair a little way away from the bed. He watches the three of them. He can see something in both Sawyer and Kate that he's never seen before. It's a strange sight, so foreign, but somehow it looks so right. Kate grinning, tears of joy still streaming down her face and Sawyer looking on with something between glee and confusion.

The doctor stands and goes to wash up. It's been a long day and he can see the bags under his eyes as he glances in the bathroom mirror. He wonders how long they've been there, and why he hasn't noticed them. He knows he hasn't been thinking clearly, but somehow he is now. Seeing how happy Kate was...with her baby, with James, it makes him realize that all he ever wanted was for her to be happy. Maybe if she can find happiness, he can too.

"Where ya off to Doc?" asks Sawyer as Jack returns and starts packing up his things. Kate looks up for the first time since Jack handed her daughter to her.

"It's gettin' late." Jack replies, "I have to be at the hospital early tomorrow...I gotta sort some things out. Maybe if we're lucky while I'm there I can snatch a blank birth certificate for the baby." Seeing that Sawyer still doesn't look too sure about him leaving so soon, Jack claps him on the shoulder. "I'll call and check up on Kate and the baby later on tonight and tomorrow to see how they're doin'. You have my number if you have questions before then."

James nods, finally looking somewhat satisfied. "Alrighty then."

Kate gives a tired, but genuine smile. "Thank you so much."

"Yeah." Sawyer pipes up after a moment. "Thanks Jack."

He nods and shakes James' hand. "What are old friends for?"

* * *

_A/N: YAY! I finally updated, lol. I had a hard time with this chapter, trying not to make it too detailed because hey, I wouldn't want to make it unrealistic. But on the other hand I didn't want to make it too vague. Soo, tell me how I did :)  
_


	8. Chapter 8

After Jack has left, the apartment seems quiet and strange. Sawyer walks slowly back to the bedroom after seeing the Doc to the door. He watches from the doorway as Kate coos over the baby. If she ever doubted that she could be a mom, it's obvious no trace of such thoughts are in her head now.

Unexpectedly he thinks of Clementine, his daughter with his ex, Cassidy. He never met the baby, but he's seen a picture of her. He can see her in his head now as he thinks of her; a pretty little blonde baby with big blue eyes. He remembers suddenly, that she'll be four next month. He doesn't know why things like that stick out in his head. He doesn't need to remember, but he does, and it makes him feel guilty as hell.

He sits down on the other side of the bed, giving Kate a smile that fades as soon as she looks away. "Baby's pretty." He says, feeling slightly lame after the words are out of his mouth.

Kate grins, holding the sleeping child. "Yeah. Yeah, she is." She watches Sawyer's expression as he looks at the baby. "You wanna hold her?"

He looks a little startled by the prospect. "Don't you want to?"

"Yeah, but I want you to hold her too." She insists, highly amused at his reaction.

James shrugs, "Okay then Freckles." He holds out his arms awkwardly, trying to remember how he managed to hold baby Aaron back on the island.

Kate lifts her up and sets her down in the crook of his arm. "Jack said to support her head and neck." She instructs as he stiffly cradles the baby.

James gives a little nod and they're silent for a few moments. Looking into the newborn's face, he feels like he needs to know the answer to a question that's been eating at him for a long time. He needs to know because already he thinks he really could love this kid, and hell, maybe he does already because it's part of Kate. But he can feel it; something is holding him back.

"Stupid question for ya," He begins slowly, feeling uncomfortable as she watches him, a half smile on her face. "She ain't Jack's…is she?" he nods toward the baby.

Kate's smile dissipates quickly and her eyes widen. "What?" she tries to grasp the question, watching him and attempting to comprehend why he would even..._did he really just ask that?_ Her mind reels. She leans over, head in her hands, feeling almost guilty that there was a doubt in his mind, and frustrated with him at the same time because he's doubting her.

"Why the hell would you ask me that Sawyer?" she finally breathes. There's no anger in her tone, just tiredness and confusion.

He shakes his head. "Don't act so surprised that I'm askin'. It ain't a crazy assumption to think you and Jack—"

"I never screwed him, if that's what you mean." She says firmly, sitting up. Her eyes are welling up now, threatening to spill. "I wouldn't, because–" She doesn't finish her thought, but her manner softens. "and…I thought you knew she was yours. I mean all this time you've been with me and you didn't..."

He nods again silently and moves over closer to her, his blue-green eyes boring into her hazel ones. The baby feels warm and relaxed in his arms now; maybe he's getting the hang of this. "Didn't mean to getcha upset, Freckles."

He's not sorry for asking though. It's like a tightness in his chest has just been released, and he feels relief from head to toe at her assertion.

She nods. "It's okay James." Kate gingerly edges toward him and wraps her arms around his shoulders from the side. "Yes. Yes, she's yours and mine, through and through." They both look down at the newborn, snuggled down in her blanket, thumb in her mouth.

"Besides," Kate gives a tear streaked smile, "she's got your dimples."

James watches the baby's face as she gives a tiny yawn. He smiles outright; she's his. Nothing can take away the feeling he gets from knowing that.

* * *

A tired, disheveled, Juliet Burke steps off of the bus and into the cool night air. The wind whips her long, wavy blonde hair around and the city lights twinkle invitingly, even in the crappy end of town. But then again, any bit of city is a welcome sight to her. She hadn't realized how much she missed it until she glimpsed it again, grungy and noisy, and beautiful as ever.

It's not Miami, but she feels so much more at home here than she ever did on the island. She's gone through a lot of trouble to get here, and even in the aftermath of what she's just been through, a new hope rises in her chest, propelling her forward with a slight bounce in her step.

Juliet pauses as she reaches a street sign and pulls a hastily scribbled-on notepaper out of her pocket. She checks the information, and presses on, passing several unscrupulous looking characters. No one bothers or hinders her though. Her attitude and gait make one thing clear: she's just passing through, and she won't take any crap. Her destination is in sight, and she hopes she's not too late.

* * *

_A/N: Wooot. So yeah, Sawyer knows the baby's his now, YAYZ! "But what is this?!" you may be thinking. "What is Juliet doing in this Skate story? And why the heck is Jack so angsty over leaving the island? And why did he let Kate go so easily without sobbing at her too much? AND WHY HAVEN'T YOU NAMED THE BABY?" You'll seeee :)_


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: FRAK YEAH! I'm back!! I didn't actually go anywhere, but I've kind of had writer's block. Kind of. Like I had stuff in my notebook, but it was incoherent and I needed to type up and fix it. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter, it's kind of dramatic and emotional-like. But yeah, I have everything mostly planned out from this point. YAYZ! HUGS!! -Kait_

* * *

Juliet musters her courage and knocks on the door, hoping it sounds confident. That's unlikely though, because her hands are shaking. After an unsure moment of waiting and wondering if no one is home, the door opens a crack.

Sawyer's brow furrows, then he pulls the door open all the way, gawking at her. "What the hell you doin' here Julie?" He blurts it out before she has time to speak. He steps into the hallway and closes the door behind himself. He's almost too surprised to feel angry, but he makes sure he sounds like it.

Juliet opens and closes her mouth a few times, taken aback.

"Well?"

She takes a breath and looks him square in the eye, her azure gaze assumes its usual calculating coolness. "How's Kate? I know I'm not too late, otherwise you wouldn't be nearly this happy to see me." her voice has a slight tone of sarcasm to it.

"What d'ya mean...I don't...she isn't..." he tries to fib, but it's been a long day and his mind isn't working as quickly as it usually might. Somehow he registers that she hasn't mentioned the baby at all. Maybe, for all her mystique and smugness, maybe she doesn't even know that in the next room there's an infant sleeping in her proud mother's arms.

Juliet's left eyebrow arches slightly. "I know Kate's here James." she swallows. "They've been keeping tabs."

Sawyer looks angrily at her upon hearing this notion, but Juliet defends herself. "I have nothing...I'm not..." she lowers her voice and looks nervous, "you have no idea what I did to get here, so don't even..." she purses her lips and blinks tears out of her strikingly blue eyes. Juliet looks at James straight and hard. "If you let me come in, I'll explain everything." a tear slips down her cheek. "Please."

It's the first time he's ever heard her come close to begging. He bites the inside of his lip, wanting to believe that the lady has honest intentions, but he also remembers all the times she didn't. Finally his mental argument about Juliet ends and he leads her into the living room.

"Sit down," he tells her quietly. His tone is not impolite, but he's not making a request either.

She obliges, seating herself in the chair opposite from the couch.

James looks nervous, and asks in a hushed tone, "What did you mean out there when you said...'too late'?"

"I meant exactly what I said." she says firmly. "And I think Ben was lying."

"There's a shocker."

She ignores him and continues. "I think there's still a chance that she could be okay if–" Juliet stops speaking as Kate enters the room, toting a small blue bundle of blankets in her arms.

"You talkin' about me?" she watches them both cynically for a moment, then focuses her attention solely on the slender blond woman. "What are you doin' here Juliet?"

"You shouldn't be up, Freckles." James cautions, turning around in his seat as she comes up behind him.

Juliet stands, looking incredulous, but overjoyed. "I've never been so glad about one of Ben's lies." she breathes, gazing at the sleeping newborn. "He said you would make it until the eighth month and then you'd get sick like the other mothers." She smiles at Kate, who looks confused and uncomfortable. "He's beautiful."

Kate finally cracks a smile. "She. She's a girl."

Juliet moves closer and reaches out as if to caress the child, but then she pulls her hand back, doubtful whether the new parents would appreciate the somewhat bold gesture. She smiles politely. "I guess Ben miscalculated about your date of conception. What did you name her?"

Taking a seat on the couch and readjusting the baby in her arms, Kate gives a wry half-smile, glancing at James. "Haven't decided yet."

Juliet and Sawyer resume their seats as well, and Juliet nods understandingly. "Sometimes those things take a little time. How old is she now?"

Kate looks at Sawyer once again, seeming unsure this time.

He does the math mentally. If it's eleven and the baby was born at about four o'clock...

"'Bout seven hours, give or take a few minutes."

Juliet looks confused. "Seven? I...why aren't you–?"

"Jack was here. Helped me out because I didn't wanna go to the hospital. Since they haven't heard from me since my preliminary hearing, the cops and media would have showed up sooner or later. I didn't want to take that chance." Kate shakes her head, silently watching the sleeping baby in her arms.

"You didn't hear about the new development in your trial?" the blonde woman looks at her incredulously.

Sawyer cuts in. "Whatcha talkin' about Dr. Quinn?"

"After you posted bond and practically disappeared, the defense lost a key witness, due to medical reasons they're saying. Since they don't have any real case without her, they're going to be offering you a deal."

Kate's eyes widen. "You're serious?"

She nods. "Yes. Without Diane Jansen's testimony, they've got nothing. Plus, you're one of the Oceanic survivors. They wouldn't send you to prison after all you've been through."

"Diane Jansen?"

"Yes."

"Is she okay? What else did you hear?" Kate persists.

Juliet is silent for a moment. "Kate, your mother will be alright for now. It seems like a personal choice. Like she's had second thoughts about testifying against you in your father's murder case."

Sawyer watches them intently. Kate shifts uncomfortably, but nods.

"Okay. Who do I need to talk to?"

Juliet sighs. "I don't know. I only know what I know from Ben."

"He knows you're here? I knew you were workin' for bug-man." James' anger resurfaces.

She shakes her head. "I'm not working for him...part of the reason I came was to tell you...he's dead."

Open-mouthed, Kate sputters, "What?"

Juliet's head droops a little and she wipes her eyes. "He was going to make me take them...your baby, and Sun's. He wanted me to bring them to the island." she nods toward Kate. "I couldn't do it...I just wanted to reason with him...and I didn't mean to...the gun just went off in my hand...before I even pulled the trigger." tears stream down her face now as she looks up at them both in turn.

They're silent except for Juliet's quiet sobs, which eventually cease. She lets out a breath slowly. "He can't hurt any of us any more." she says softly, but firmly, resting her head in her hands.

Without a word, Kate puts the baby into Sawyer's arms, goes over to Juliet, and hugs her. There's no interchange of words between them, just understanding. Now they've both killed to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Neither are glad of what they've done, but they wouldn't change it if they could.


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: OMG is this possible!? Two updates in one night? What the heck is the matter with the crazy fanfic writer you have come to know and hopefully like at least a little bit? Well, I had the beginning of this chapter written up for about forever, and I figured I'd edit and finish it for you, as a special treat-like ;)_

* * *

When the morning comes, Juliet is gone. The blanket she borrowed for the night is folded neatly on the couch, with a note folded on top. It states her thanks and that she's on her way to see Jack. Kate sits down and smiles, still holding the note. Jack can finally be happy now. She'd known all along that it was Juliet he wanted. She knew because he said her name in his sleep, and the way he flinched every time she mentioned the island. All of that is behind them now. It's time for a new start, for all of them.

Kate looks down at her baby. She holds her close and admires every tiny feature. Her eyelashes are long and dark, though the soft waves that stick out all over her head are a blonde that's just a slightly lighter shade than James' hair. Kate can't tell yet what color her eyes are; they're still that deep baby-gray.

The still-nameless little person in her arms stirs and blinks her eyes sleepily, peering out from her blankets. Kate grins affectionately. She's known love before, but never like this.

The phone rings, and Kate glances behind her to see Sawyer pick it up in the kitchen. "Hello?" he listens. "Okay, sure." He looks puzzled for a moment. "Bye."

Kate watches him as he comes around the counter and she gives him a questioning look as he crosses into the living room area. "What is it?"

"Jack says Juliet made it over there alright. Looks like she got her Romeo, eh?" he gives a half smile at his own pun and Kate rolls her eyes.

"He also said to turn on the TV. It's about the trial." He grabs the remote and sits down next to Kate.

As the TV set flicks on, Reporter Sara Saunders flashes her super-white television smile on the screen. She proclaims, teeth flashing, "It's been the case that all of America has been following closely since last year: The Austen Trial." The reporter vaguely describes the case and the accusations, then continues to explain how Ms. Austen has been unreachable since her bond was been posted five months ago, but that she is still scheduled to show up for trial later in the month.

Kate frowns, but they continue watching.

"And now the breaking news that could turn this case upside down." Sara looks positively giddy as she prepares to make the big reveal. "It seems that Ms. Austen's mother, Diane Jansen, has been declared unfit to testify because of medical reasons. Since she would be the only solid testimony the prosecution has, one wonders if the case will even go through. The District Attorney is trying to arrange a meeting with Ms. Austen to discuss a deal, but our sources tell us, that so far all attempts to contact Katherine Austen have been unsuccessful. Reporting live from downtown Los Angeles, I'm Sara Saunders with News 1, back to you in the newsroom Steve."

James and Kate are silent for a moment, but he speaks first. "That's who you should go to. Meet with the DA and see what kinda deal you can get." he urges.

Before he's even finished speaking Kate shakes her head. "No, no, they'll make me do jail time. I can't do that, not now..." she pulls her baby closer to her chest.

"If you don't show, they'll make you do jail time for sure." he counters, putting a hand on her arm.

She draws her mouth in a thin line, glancing down at the baby, who has now drifted off to sleep once more. She can't bear the thought of being separated from her, or from James. It seems like every time she finds something to love that it's ripped away from her. Now that she's found two people she cares about more than anything, she just wants to hold onto that feeling, and onto them.

Slowly she nods. "You'll go with me?"

He plants a kiss on the side of her head and assures her. "I'll be right there with ya."

--

After getting in touch with the District Attorney's office, all they can do is wait for the day they've set to discuss Kate's trial. James tries to keep the mood light by putting together the second-hand bassinet that he bought, and by giving the baby various nicknames. Mostly she is just "the baby", but as is the usual with Sawyer, he spouts off new monikers on a daily basis.

Kate doesn't mind the nicknames. She knows from personal experience that it's a sign of affection with him. That, and the fact that she can't decide on a name anyway. One would think it easy to choose a name for their own child, but Kate hesitates. She wants her child's name to be perfect, unique. A name that means something. Sure, "Babydoll", "Angelface", and "Goldilocks" are cute, but they're not her name. She remains "the baby" until further notice.

Further notice happens one morning when Kate hears James singing to their baby early in the morning. He must have gotten the baby as soon as she awoke, before her cries alerted her mother. Now he's giving her a bottle while singing to her in the living room. Kate waits, just out of view in the hallway, not wanting to spoil the moment between Sawyer and his daughter.

"_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,_

_You make me happy, when skies are gray,_

_You'll never know dear, how much I love ya,_

_Please don't take my sunshine away."_

"That's kind of a good name." she says quietly, coming up behind him and running her fingers through his hair. "Sunshine. You've been calling her that for days and I didn't even realize. Guess I just got used to it."

James nods, though he has something else on his mind. "I been thinkin'." He looks hesitant. "What d'ya think about the name 'Mary'? I mean, I know I call her all sorts of stuff, but..."

Kate ponders this for a moment. "I guess I like it...any particular reason?"

He shrugs and looks away. "It was my mom's name." When Kate is silent for a moment he becomes defensive. "Look, we don't have to name her that if ya don't want to, I just–"

She interrupts him gently. "It's a good name. I like it. Mary likes it." She smiles and hugs him briefly, still standing behind him while he sits on the couch, holding the baby on his lap. "She can still be your Sunshine though."

He chuckles and kisses the baby on the cheek. "Alrighty then, Sunshine Mary."

The newly appointed 'Mary', who is starting to look less like a newborn, and starting to become a chubby-faced Gerber-baby, seems to agree with the whole affair. In fact, she takes the opportunity to spit up on Sawyer's shirt.


	11. Chapter 11

Sawyer silently lays the envelopes on the counter for Kate to see. The familiar logo catches her eye immediately. She sets down her coffee and picks up the one with her name on it.

The two exchange an incredulous look before both opening their respective letters. Inside each envelope is a formal written apology from the CEO of Oceanic Airlines, a gold flight pass, and a check.

Kate reads the amount twice to be sure her eyes aren't playing tricks on her, then she looks up at Sawyer. He grins, waving his own check.

"Took long enough for 'em to make amends." he remarks, but he can't hold much against the airlines. Not with the incredible amount of money he holds in his hand. "This oughta make life a little more comfortable." he chuckles. "Hell, let's go buy an island somewhere, baby."

Kate grins briefly, but the smile fades from her lips quickly. She knows the money won't make everything fine. Only the outcome of her meeting with the District Attorney can make or break her happiness right now. All she wants is to know that she can stay with her little girl, with Sawyer, with the only family that ever felt right to her.

* * *

She shifts uneasily in her seat, eye to eye with someone who can send her to prison with just one word. District Attorney Melissa Dunbrook watches her, her gaze calculating.

"What are you offering?" Kate's attorney Duncan pipes up, breaking the silence.

"Four years in." Dunbrook says firmly.

Kate glances at her lawyer. Her expression is an obvious 'No way'.

He nods at her slightly, then turns his attention back to the DA. "No. Kate Austen is a worldwide hero. She survived a plane crash, saved lives, and nearly starved to death on a deserted island. After all that, you think that a jury is going to give her actual time, then...Come on Melissa." he shakes his head, almost mocking her for suggesting it.

Melissa purses her lips. "Alright."

Kate, who has kept her eyes down and her mouth shut for most of the conversation, looks up, her gaze darting back and forth between the two of them.

The DA continues. "Time served, plus ten years probation in agreement that she does not leave the state."

Duncan looks like he's ready to argue, but Kate cuts in.

"I'll take it. Give me something to sign, and I'll sign it, and I'll walk out of here. I just want this to be over."

Dunbrook nods. "I can do that. Ten years probation, and you stay put."

Kate looks her in the eye. "I have a child. She's the most important thing to me. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

Duncan leads her out into the hallway and pats her on the shoulder. "Congratulations Kate. I'll be in touch."

She gives him a heartfelt smile. "Thank you. So much."

James jumps up from his seat as he sees her walking toward him. Her grin says it all. He hugs her tightly with the arm that isn't supporting Mary, and ruffles her hair.

"I knew ya'd be okay." he tells her, but it's as much of a relief to him as it is to her. It would kill him to be without her.

She chuckles and tickles Mary under the chin. The now three-month-old baby babbles and tries to wrap her fingers around a chunk of her hair.

"So you're a free woman now?" James asks jovially, his arm still wrapped around her waist.

She nods. "As long as I stay in the state."

He sighs in mock contempt. "Well there goes the 'buy an island' idea. Will ya settle for a house? A big one with a big yard for Pipsqueak to run around in once she gets the hang of it." he bounces the baby a little, admiring her.

Kate kisses him on his cheek and allows him to encircle her once again. "Okay." she bites her lip and smiles, snuggling close to him and the baby, feeling like she could never be more at home than she is when she's with them.

* * *

_Soo, yeah I figured I needed to resolve all that...with excessive fluff! Yayy ;P I'm thinking this is possibly the ending. Dunno. I actually want to have Cassidy and Clementine in this a little, so maybe a sequel? I feel like all the "Vindication" has taken place. Yes? No? Maybe so? Let me know lovely people, let me know. xxx -Kait_


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